Click on "Deploy Server".
Wait a few minutes for the server to deploy. Once ready, it will show a "Started" state.
In the chat, type @ followed by the MCP server name and your instructions, e.g., "@mcp-imap-server search for unread emails from my boss this week"
That's it! The server will respond to your query, and you can continue using it as needed.
Here is a step-by-step guide with screenshots.
MCP (Model Context Protocol) server for IMAP email access. Connect Claude to your mailbox directly.
npm install
npm run buildRelated MCP server: icloud-mcp
Copy .env.example to .env and fill in your IMAP credentials:
cp .env.example .envAdd to your MCP config (~/.claude.json or Claude Desktop settings):
{
"mcpServers": {
"imap": {
"command": "node",
"args": ["/path/to/mcp-imap-server/dist/index.js"],
"env": {
"IMAP_HOST": "imap.example.com",
"IMAP_PORT": "993",
"IMAP_USER": "your-email",
"IMAP_PASSWORD": "your-password"
}
}
}
}Tool | Description |
| List all mailbox folders |
| List recent messages in a folder |
| Fetch a single email by UID |
| Search by subject, from, date, unseen |
| Set/remove flags (read, flagged) |
| Move message to another folder |
| Delete or trash a message |
| Create a new draft email |
| Create a reply draft on an existing thread (preserves In-Reply-To/References) |
Create a draft email in the Drafts folder
Inputs: to (required), subject (required), body (required), cc, +1 more.
Create a reply draft on an existing email thread. Finds the message by UID, sets In-Reply-To and References headers to keep it in the same thread.
Inputs: uid (required), body (required), folder, replyAll, +1 more.
Delete a message (move to Trash or permanently delete)
Inputs: uid (required), folder, permanent.
Fetch a single email by UID. Returns headers and text body (prefers plain text).
Inputs: uid (required), folder.
List all IMAP mailbox folders
Inputs: no named parameters.
List recent messages in a folder with subject, from, date. Default folder is INBOX.
Inputs: folder, limit.
Set or remove flags on a message (e.g., mark as read/unread, flag/unflag)
Inputs: uid (required), flags (required), folder, action.
Move a message to another folder
Inputs: uid (required), destination (required), folder.
Search messages in a folder by criteria (subject, from, since date, unseen only)
Inputs: folder, subject, from, since, +2 more.
Recent tool additions, removals, and schema changes observed during successful MCP inspections.
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Scored across 9 tools
Every tool has a clearly distinct purpose with no ambiguity. Tools like create_draft and create_reply_draft are closely related but serve different functions (new draft vs. reply), while others like delete_message, move_message, and mark_message each handle specific message operations without overlap.
All tools follow a consistent verb_noun pattern with snake_case throughout (e.g., create_draft, list_folders, search_messages). There are no deviations in naming conventions, making the set predictable and readable.
With 9 tools, the count is well-scoped for an IMAP email server. Each tool earns its place by covering essential email operations like listing, creating, managing, and searching messages, without being excessive or too sparse.
The tool set provides complete CRUD/lifecycle coverage for email management: create (drafts/replies), read (get/list/search), update (mark/move), and delete (delete_message). It covers all core workflows from folder listing to message handling with no obvious gaps.
Email infrastructure for AI agents — send, receive, search, and reply to email over MCP.
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Connect any IMAP/SMTP mailbox to Claude & ChatGPT: search, read, sort, draft. Sends only with OK.
An MCP server that provides email capabilities, hosted on Alpic platform
